Detroit Mayor Jerome Cavanagh speaks to a young man on Detroit 's east side two months after the Detroit riot in July 1967. The young man tells the mayor the rubble had been a store.
Ira Rosenberg/Detroit Free Press

Twelfth Street is pictured under a cloud of smoke during the rioting in 1967.Errant flames of the 1967 riot swept into residential sections destroying solid homes of longtime residents. Among them was the family of Barata Bey, whose Euclid Avenue home was totally destroyed.
Tony Spina/Detroit Free Press

In 1967, Detroit erupted after police raided a blind pig; 43 people died. A history project is collecting stories.

Today marks a sad anniversary in Detroit's history. Forty-eight years ago, on July 23, 1967, the city was convulsed by the violence of the Detroit riot.

Even the word "riot" has different meanings to many who lived through the week in which 43 people died and some 2,500 stores were looted or burned. Some prefer to refer to what happened as the rebellion, insurrection or civil disturbance. In addition to those who died, 1,189 people were injured and more than 7,200 people were arrested.

The Detroit Historical Society wants to capture those life-altering memories — written, oral or video — through the "Detroit 1967 Project." It's In preparation for the 50th anniversary of the riot two years from now, when the stories will comprise a digital archive and some may be used in an exhibit at the Detroit Historical Museum beginning September 2016.

“We’re looking for the engagement of the community to get a diverse recollection of memories,” said the CEO of the Detroit Historical Society, Bob Bury. “History is about people.”

As part of that effort, the Detroit 1967 Project team is hosting two free story collection days. Visitors will have the opportunity to share their stories with the project team on those days.

“The 50-year commemoration is coming up in a few years and this event had a major impact on Detroit and this region as a whole,” Bury said.

The first session will be on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Detroit Historical Museum. The second session will be Saturday, Aug. 15, at Dossin Great Lakes Museum.

In addition to the interviews, the project will offer workshops on the basics of conducting oral history interviews.

“It’s interesting getting a personal reflection from people that experienced this time,” Bury said.

Learn how to prepare, what questions to ask (and to not ask), how to work with recording equipment, the process of transcribing your interview and how to submit your interview to the Detroit 1967 Project.